Tuesday 9th May 2017

Apart from the last Thursday when I popped over to oostende for the day, I have been at home for nearly two weeks. I am used it. The cats are used to it. And the birds sometimes tap on the windows to let me know they have run out of seeds. In fact, we have just about every member of the crow family coming to the garden to feat on the seeds and dried worms we put out: rooks, jackdaws, ravens and magpies, and today, a jay. Rooks are huge, like make nazgul, but Ravens are handsome; like Mulder in bird form. The jackdaws can hang upside down getting seeds out of the feeds, while the rooks can hang on to the pole to peck at the fat balls, like some kind of woodpecker. Much more interesting than work for sure.

It is a glorious day, which is why I look at the clear blue skies through the windows as I have work to do. Always the way. Any my allergies are calming down, but maybe its trace of aftershave on my dressing gown or t sirt, I'm not sure, but I have a sneezing fit over the first coffee of the day requiring me to take a pill. A little white pill.

I do take breaks during the day, walking round the garden looking at what plants and flowers are growing or flowers have opened. On the lawn the Yellow Rattle is beginning to flower, but not quite yet, a couple of plants look like they might open this week. Our lawn will be a feat for bees.

But there is always work, and I can work listening to the radio, and ignore the cats as they demand some meow. Meow is either food or attention. Sometimes Molly lies on my computer, or she just lay underneath my chair and look cute.

There is leftover chorizo hash for dinner. A beer would be nice to go with it, but not at lunchtime, oh no. Not that anyone would know, other than if I fell asleep during a meeting, as they wouldn't know either as my mic would be muted. Probably....

With the working week almost halfway done, I take myself and allergic chest for a walk and get some fresh air.

Spring is here, of that there can be no doubt, as the hedgerows are now trying to takeover the lanes.

As I get to the end of the street, a bloke who lives near the end is apparently carrying his garden waste to a compost heap he has created in the hedge; not sure if that is a good thing or not....

Further along I have to dodge the fresh horse eggs, and in the distance could see the horses that laid said eggs.

As I neared the pig's copse, the trees formed a green tunnel, with the downland falling away to Kingsdown just visible through it.

Down past the pig's copse; they are still there, but probably sleeping lunch off somewhere deep in the undergrowth.

One final quick walk down Norway Drove to snap the Dip, and to my joy, our neighbour who has lived in the village for decades, also calls it The Dip. Looking forward to next week when one of my old Flickr friends gets to walk the dip in person. Hope he won't be disappointed.

I turn round and walk back, going back the same way, in the hope of seeing a butterfly or two. I do bee a Common Blue, but it settles out of range of my camera, then flies off teasing me with its blueness. Next time my blue friend, next time.

Back home I begin to prepare diner; peeling and slicing four aubergines, as it is a nice day, can't think of a better meal. I had already made the pasta salad during the day, so just the aubergine to egg and breadcrumb then shallow fry.

Jools is delayed in traffic caused by two trucks crashing on the way into Dover, but arrives home just as I finish the last of the frying. We sit down and have generous amounts of pasta salad and fresh crispy aubergine.

I was given a box of wafers when I came back through the tunnel, and so we cracked them open yesterday. Not sure really how to describe them, crispy and buttery wafer biscuits, perfect with a coffee. It is good I have just the one box of them, which means come the weekend they will all be gone, which is a good thing as we love them.

And so ends another day, just two more before the holibobs, and with luck I might just make it....